Guidelines To Buy A Garage Door Opener

There are a few things customers need to know to get the best value for the money they spend on garage door openers. In addition, the following guidelines will also help you find the suitable garage door opener with the right features. Once you explore the garage door opener market, you will be amazed to find myriad options widening before you. With so many brands and a lot of models under each one of them, It is really a baffling experience to choose a garage door opener. You can however narrow down your search gradually by considering a few things in them.

There are three major kinds of garage door openers depending on the mechanism of the drives namely chain, belt and screw. Chain drive garage door openers are perhaps the oldest of the models available. However, they are consistently popular than others till date. People prefer this type on account of its good value. Since these are noisy, they are usually not recommended for installing in places where quietness is expected. On the other hand, there are also people who say the noise warns you when someone walks into the house and therefore it can be a better choice.

Belt drive openers are much similar to chin drive openers. The main difference though is that they open with a rubber belt. These are a bit more expensive among garage door openers, but are known to be the quietest ones. You can say screw-drive openers can be said to fall mid-way between the aforesaid two in terms of noisiness and cost. These kinds of garage door openers feature very less number of moving parts. They need little maintenance. One good thing about them is that they are very easy to install without professional help.

You also need to know a few things regarding the power consumption of garage door openers. Standard type two car garage door openers need ½ horsepower motors. Of course openers with small motors are sufficient to operate a one-car garage featuring a light door. Heavy doors like carriage doors need a ¾ horsepower model. Since the price difference is not much different, you may go for more power motors when you have a doubt. Consider door size when buying garage door openers. Standard garage doors are about 7 feet tall. The standard kind of openers can operate doors up to 6 inches taller than this measure. If the doors are taller than this, you will need an extension kit.

Buying garage door openers with a rolling code feature is a wise decision. This feature is very common these days. In this way it will be very difficult for the burglar to access the code required to open the door. Some models come with battery backup. This is advised since you should not get strangled inside or outside when there is a power outage.

Keyless entry pads are sophisticated features of these days. You can mount a keyless entry pad just outside the garage door. The door will open when you enter the proper code. This feature makes garage door operation handy and you will not need to carry a key with you in this way. Newer types come with finger print reading features that are more fool proof than the other kind.
 
The two major models available in garage doors are Pro and DIY models. You will find most DIY (Do it yourself) models in most home improvement stores. They are easy to carry and you can install them yourself following the guidelines provided. Pro models come with one-piece rail and can be transported only in a truck. Pro units are a bit stronger and you can buy them only from dealers.

When you buy a garage door opener, look for warranties. Some motors come with lifetime warranties or 10 year warranties. Separate parts like belts and chains are usually covered for a lesser time than motors.